Climate Change.
Julia Carvalho, the General Manager for IBM Africa Growth Markets, highlighted the potential of generative artificial intelligence to contribute to Nigeria’s efforts in combating climate change. She emphasized the significance of data in this endeavor but expressed concerns about the difficulties in accessing data in Nigeria.
These challenges, she noted, have impeded the country’s capability to adequately prepare for the impacts of climate change, including the threat of flooding.
‘’Data unavailability, storage, and reliability ensure that research, analysis, forecast, and economic predictions over a specific area of interest become a daunting task,’’ she added.
Carvalho said, “Fortunately, advances in generative artificial intelligence have the potential to make a difference. Its ability to employ machine learning algorithms and its capacity to automate data processing – at speed and scale – offers the prospect of humanity getting better insights into the climate challenge, helping to ensure we make better-informed decisions.”
She pointed out that Nigeria is experiencing an alarming increase in climate-change-related disasters. In 2022 alone, there were recorded statistics of 662 deaths, 3,174 injuries, 2.5 million displacements, and 200,000 homes destroyed due to flooding, highlighting the urgent need for effective measures against such calamities.
Elaborating on the role of generative AI in aiding the country, she explained,
“Generative AI is a hugely transformative technology that has the potential to raise humanity’s game against climate change, while at the same time enhancing productivity, sustainably and securely.
“The insights it’s already beginning to deliver are helping shape environmental policies, supported by robust data analytics. Organisations are also starting to reap the benefits and better understand their operations, identify decarbonisation opportunities, and in the process create a robust roadmap to net zero.”
While she acknowledged that challenges like unstructured or siloed data, intricate regulations, and demanding net-zero obligations could be mitigated through generative AI, she also emphasized the importance of collaborating with technology partners with a proven track record.
She highlighted that for the creation of robust and trustworthy AI tools, it is essential for businesses, governments, and regulators to engage with partners experienced in developing and implementing scalable generative AI systems.